What resolution do movie theathers use?

[IAmAndre]

Hi,

 

I have questions about movie theaters. I understand that the answers might vary from one theater to another, but I'm curious to know what resolution they are using now, and if it has changed in the past few years. I personally never complain about the quality of the image, but are they using 4K or 1080p, or something even higher than 4K? Have they recently switched to 4K?

I also noticed that in some theaters, the image seems to be wider, something like a 21/9 ratio. Am I right?

Now if they are using 1080p, how come the image doesn't look crappy on such a wide screen, even when you sit very close?

 

Thanks

[Oshino Shinobu]

They tend to use 2K resolution (2048×1080), but newer movies are starting to use 4K (4096×2160). It's not uncommon for the actual movie to be shot in a higher resolution, then downsampled to 2K/4K. 

EDIT: This is for digital cinema BTW. A lot of cinemas in the UK use digital already. (my dad is a digital cinema engineer)

[wyattzx]

Most theaters use projection from film, and not digital video signals. However, in more recent times (2010s ->) theaters have slowly been converting from film to digital projection. 4K cameras aren't even the standard yet for cinema, however. In fact, there is no standard. A film could be shot on a 4K RED camera, or something else entirely. Typically speaking though, it's usually a film projection over a digital projection.

[EZY17]

3 minutes ago, IAmAndre said:

Hi,

 

I have questions about movie theaters. I understand that the answers might vary from one theater to another, but I'm curious to know what resolution they are using now, and if it has changed in the past few years. I personally never complain about the quality of the image, but are they using 4K or 1080p, or something even higher than 4K? Have they recently switched to 4K?

I also noticed that in some theaters, the image seems to be wider, something like a 21/9 ratio. Am I right?

Now if they are using 1080p, how come the image doesn't look crappy on such a wide screen, even when you sit very close?

 

Thanks

Most movie theaters are in 2K, some are in 4K and Imax is 6K.

[mikat]

mostly 17:9

[IAmAndre]

2 minutes ago, NonaHexa said:

Most theaters use projection from film, and not digital video signals. However, in more recent times (2010s ->) theaters have slowly been converting from film to digital projection. 4K cameras aren't even the standard yet for cinema, however. In fact, there is no standard. A film could be shot on a 4K RED camera, or something else entirely. Typically speaking though, it's usually a film projection over a digital projection.

What's the difference between "projection" and "digital video signals"? How does it impact the image?

[mikat]

3 minutes ago, NonaHexa said:

Most theaters use projection from film, and not digital video signals. However, in more recent times (2010s ->) theaters have slowly been converting from film to digital projection. 4K cameras aren't even the standard yet for cinema, however. In fact, there is no standard. A film could be shot on a 4K RED camera, or something else entirely. Typically speaking though, it's usually a film projection over a digital projection.

2.5K is more or less the standard.. (4K is coming)

some films are shot in 5K but the special effects are done in 2K so you only have a 2K master copy.

[IAmAndre]

Just now, mikat said:

mostly 17:9

Which means that the image is truncated when I watch a movie on a Bluray?

[testarossa47]

Linus once mentioned something that 2k is a very common "standard" Resolution for moviemaking, but that doesn't mean that cinemas show them in 2k... also there are movies made on film (like Star Wars VII for example)

[mikat]

Just now, testarossa47 said:

Linus once mentioned something that 2k is a very common "standard" Resolution for moviemaking, but that doesn't mean that cinemas show them in 2k... also there are movies made on film (like Star Wars VII for example)

so you're saying cinema's show in lower or higher res?

[ShadowCaptain]

2 minutes ago, testarossa47 said:

Linus once mentioned something that 2k is a very common "standard" Resolution for moviemaking, but that doesn't mean that cinemas show them in 2k... also there are movies made on film (like Star Wars VII for example)

 

yeah film is still massively used in movies, and it has insane resolution, especially the rise of IMAX cameras for movies thanks to nolan using them for batman, imax is like 6k up to 18k for the 70mm perf

 

[testarossa47]

3 minutes ago, mikat said:

so you're saying cinema's show in lower or higher res?

I really don't know. I can imagine that they use film projectors in most cases. some cinemas may use digital ones, but don't take my word for that

[mikat]

Just now, testarossa47 said:

I really don't know. I can imagine that they use film projectors in most cases. some cinemas may use digital ones, but don't take my word for that

most cinemas switched to digital a long time ago, but some still have the film projectors so they can show film films

[IAmAndre]

OK can someone explain to me what's the difference between film and digital video signals and... answer my questions in simpler terms? Thanks

[IAmAndre]

I guess this could be a topic for Fast As Possible episode, right?

[mikat]

4 minutes ago, IAmAndre said:

I guess this could be a topic for Fast As Possible episode, right?

 

this could be the one?

 

 

[ShadowCaptain]

6 minutes ago, IAmAndre said:

OK can someone explain to me what's the difference between film and digital video signals and... answer my questions in simpler terms? Thanks

As in, a film projector plays a reel of film

 

A digital projector uses LCD/DLP